Articles tagged with Robotics
Researchers from NC State University have demonstrated a new type of flexible robotic gripper that can lift delicate egg yolks without breaking them. The grippers use a kirigami technique to convert 2D sheets into curved 3D structures, allowing for precise control over the final shape and structure.
Researchers developed an autonomous assembly method for a 3-arm robot to fix a multi-pin and hole load plate on a space station. This solution tackles the challenges of complex environmental lighting and matching multiple groups of holes and pins in the task. The study reduces astronaut safety risks by leveraging robots instead of humans.
Researchers discovered humans unconsciously mirror a humanoid robot's body language, mirroring human behavior when interacting with peers. The study highlights the intriguing similarity between human-Robot interactions and interpersonal relationships.
A recent study by MIT researchers found that family members trust devices with human-like social behaviors, such as Amazon's Alexa or Jibo's social robot. The study revealed significant effects of branding on perceptions, showing users viewed Google as more trustworthy than Amazon despite similar designs and functionality.
The UniSA-designed algorithm helps robots navigate paths without collisions, outperforming existing algorithms in simulations. It can direct robots to stop, turn, or reverse direction to avoid obstacles, with potential applications in industrial warehouses, agriculture, and more.
A robot has been developed to assist elderly users with daily actions like standing up, walking, and sitting down. The robot estimates the user's state using a small number of sensors, including calculating center of gravity candidates, to provide necessary assistance and prevent accidents.
A novel carbon-based biosensor developed at the University of Technology Sydney detects electrical signals sent by the brain, translating them into commands for autonomous robotic systems. The biosensor overcomes three major challenges in graphene-based biosensing: corrosion, durability, and skin-contact resistance.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new fabrication technique that enables the creation of soft actuators with 75% lower voltage requirements and 80% more payload capacity than current versions. This breakthrough could lead to the development of flying microrobots with improved performance and payload capabilities.
Researchers at Stanford University have created a robotic hand with a gecko-inspired grip that can handle both delicate and heavy objects. The 'farmHand' gripper uses gecko-adhesive pads and has a unique finger design to enable both dexterity and strength.
A new design for thermal actuators accelerates soft robotic movement by exploiting temperature-dependent bi-stability. The structure changes shape in response to heat, allowing for rapid snapping actions. Prototypes demonstrate rapid movement capabilities, paving the way for biomedical, prosthetic, and manufacturing applications.
Researchers at Tohoku University have successfully created capsule-like DNA structures using two different types of nanostructures that can stick together. These structures can form water-in-oil droplets with patch-like patterns depending on the concentration of each type, and can be used to carry substances to specific target organs o...
Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology developed a robot that can learn to move through a labyrinth using a human-like brain. The robot, based on the Mindstorms EV3 kit, uses synapses to 'tune' its resistance and navigate the maze in 16 runs. Its ability to generalize its learning makes it suitable for various applications.
A global community of hackers and threat modellers is needed to stress-test the harm potential of new AI products. Companies can harness techniques like red team hacking, audit trails, and bias bounties to prove their integrity and earn public trust. The industry faces a 'crisis of trust' if it doesn't adopt these measures.
A flexible and easy-to-use micropen setup is capable of directly writing on surfaces to a microprecise level. The device allows for the printing of microarrays, lines, curves, and other structures in real-time using biomaterial or conductive ink.
A new floating robotic film can hoover oil spills at sea or remove contaminants from drinking water, using a pulsing motion inspired by water striders. The film is powered by light and fueled by water, making it sustainable and reusable.
Researchers developed a perching robot inspired by birds, called SNAG, which can fly around, catch objects, and land on different surfaces. The robot's design mimics the legs of a peregrine falcon, allowing it to absorb impact energy and convert it into grasping force.
A new COVID-19 mobile robot detects social distancing breaches in crowds and encourages people to move apart using a novel system that employs Deep Reinforcement Learning and Frozone algorithm. The robot also incorporates a thermal camera for contact-tracing efforts, ensuring privacy protection and de-identification.
A Japanese study found that a robot's physical texture, such as softness or elasticity, affects perceptions of its personality. The researchers used six humanoid robots with varying arm textures and asked participants to touch and evaluate them.
Fred Martin, a UMass Lowell computer scientist, is being recognized for developing an educational framework that introduces robotics and AI to K-12 students. His work has guided the development of primary and secondary AI education initiatives worldwide.
Researchers from The University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science have found that drones can be used as communication bases with underwater robotic devices (AUVs) for ocean surveys. UAVs offer high-speed observations, mobility, and resistance to ocean currents, making them suitable candidates for this application.
A new study published in Applied Ergonomics found that the cognitive demands of wearing a low-back exoskeleton can hinder its mechanical advantages, offsetting benefits in reducing spine loading. The researchers used ambulatory brain imaging and connectivity analysis to demonstrate how increased cognitive response to tasks can cancel o...
A team of WVU researchers has created a six-armed robot, StickBug, to assist with pollination tasks in greenhouse environments. The robot aims to improve food security during insect declines, support indoor agriculture, and provide services beyond what insects can do.
A study by Florida Atlantic University found that robotic pet cats improved mood scores and cognitive function in adults with mild to moderate dementia. The intervention involved 12 visits with the robotic cat, where participants interacted with it and reported positive emotions.
Researchers created a shape-shifting material that can morph into any stable shape, enabling independent control of geometry and mechanics. The totimorphic structural materials have the potential to be used in robotics, biotechnology, architecture, and other applications.
Researchers found that humanlike chatbots raise unrealistic expectations, leading to lower satisfaction and purchase intentions in angry customers. To mitigate this effect, companies should deploy non-humanlike chatbots in customer service situations where customers tend to be angry.
Researchers at Beijing Institute of Technology created a robot that can track fast-moving rats for extended periods using real-time localization and movement analysis. The robotic rat's built-in stereo vision system enables it to characterize typical behaviors of actual rats, promoting autonomy and reproducibility in behavior research.
A new study from UCLA finds that a social companion robot, Robin, provides comfort to young patients during hospital visits. Children and their parents reported significant improvements in positive affect and reductions in negative affect after interacting with Robin compared to tablet-based interactions.
Researchers at Stanford University found that exoskeletons work best when users are given time to learn how to use the device, with customized control improving performance by around half. Participants who received optimized training saw significant reductions in energy expenditure, with benefits persisting even after they became experts.
Researchers developed a soft robotic steerable micro-catheter for precise brain surgery, enabling targeted treatment of cerebral disorders. The innovative catheter uses biomimicry to navigate and maneuver within the brain's complex anatomy.
SUTD researchers develop sensor that assigns dirt score to areas based on visual and tactile analysis, allowing for more efficient exploration of complex spaces. The sensor is integrated with a smart algorithm that directs the robot to focus on areas with high dirt probability.
A new study from the University of Toronto suggests that social robots could be more persuasive if they project less authority. The research found that people are more likely to accept advice or instructions from a robot when it is presented as a peer helper rather than an authoritative figure.
Scientists developed a machine learning method to analyze NMR data, allowing faster and more accurate analysis of proteins and chemical reactions in the human body. The method uses an artificial deep neural network to separate and analyze complex data, resulting in highly reproducible results comparable to human experts.
Researchers discover brain forms a single motor plan to optimize task performance despite uncertainty, upending decades-old theory of motor averaging. The study used experiments and computational modeling to demonstrate the brain's ability to generate an optimal action choice under uncertain conditions.
A new algorithm provides accurate solutions that mimic natural human movement, reducing the risk of injury. The Pro-ISADE approach improves calculation speed while ensuring calculated joint angles are feasible for robotic use in daily activities like drinking water and brushing teeth.
Children use a specific word to remind robots to speak quickly, but not with parents or strangers, showing sophisticated social awareness. In everyday life, most children stop using the word after a short period.
Researchers built a robot that mimics the movement of mantis shrimp, which can deliver impressive forces. The study sheds light on the biology of mantis shrimp and reveals how they control their movements using geometry.
The Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS) aims to create systems that enable plants to communicate their hidden biology to sensors, optimizing growth and the local environment. This will lead to breakthrough discoveries, new educational opportunities, and transformative management of crops.
Researchers developed electrically-driven soft valves to control hydraulic soft actuators, enabling faster and more powerful control of macro- and small-scale hydraulic actuators. The breakthrough allows for unprecedented motion control of soft robots with internal volume ranging from hundreds of microliters to tens of milliliters.
A study published in Nature's Communications Biology reveals how geckos steer in mid-air and stabilise landings using their heads and tails. Researchers found that a shorter tail length results in increased adhesive foot force, crucial for successful vertical landing.
Researchers at the University of Houston have developed an electrochemical actuator that utilizes organic semiconductor nanotubes, exhibiting high performance and tunable dynamics in liquid and gel-polymer electrolytes. The device demonstrates excellent stability, low power consumption, and fast response time.
Researchers at UTHealth found that exoskeleton-assisted rehabilitation can be beneficial for stroke survivors, correcting impaired walking patterns and increasing motor coordination. The study used the Ekso 1.1 exoskeleton to guide patients with chronic post-stroke hemiplegia or hemiparesis in a 10-15 session training program over thre...
Scientists develop robotic model of mantis shrimp strike, revealing geometric latching process behind ultra-fast movements. The device accelerates to 26 meters per second, equivalent to a car reaching 58 mph in four milliseconds.
The UC Davis Center for Integrated Computing and STEM Education has received a $2.4 million grant to establish an initiative introducing Black/African American girls to engineering and robotics. The Ujima Girls in Robotics Leadership Project offers a free, hands-on program teaching girls middle and high school engineering and leadership.
Researchers at Seoul National University developed a wearable artificial chameleon skin that can detect and adapt to its surroundings in real-time. The device, which combines thermochromic liquid crystal ink with vertically-stacked silver nanowires, enables high-resolution camouflage and blending into complex backgrounds.
A POSTECH research team developed a water-driven self-operating soft actuator that exceeds the strength and speed of conventional soft actuators. The actuator is inspired by the mutable collagenous tissue of sea cucumbers, which can change shape in response to water uptake.
A team of engineers and physicians developed a steerable catheter that can navigate the brain's arteries and blood vessels in any direction. The device was inspired by nature and successfully tested in pigs, with potential to treat brain aneurysms and other neurological conditions.
Researchers at UC Berkeley studied how squirrels decide whether to take a leap and assess their biomechanical abilities to know whether they can land safely. They found that squirrels learn to adapt their leaping strategy in just a few attempts, depending on the branch's compliance and gap distance.
Engineers at MIT have developed a soft, lightweight neuroprosthetic hand that enables amputees to perform daily activities with ease. The prosthetic features a system for tactile feedback, allowing users to feel sensations in their residual limb, and is potentially low-cost for low-income families.
Cornell University researchers used facial recognition AI to develop an imaging robot called BlackBird that scans grape leaf samples automatically, reducing manual assessment time from six months to one day. The technology has the potential to save farmers billions of dollars by detecting disease early and reducing fungicide usage.
University of Virginia researchers design a simple way to implement a tunable stiffness strategy in robots, enabling efficient swimming at varying speeds. The approach, inspired by the natural adaptability of fish, uses a programmable artificial tendon to adjust tail stiffness in real-time.
A team of engineers discovered that the unique design of fish fins, with layered structures made up of stiff and soft materials, enables them to achieve remarkable dexterity and flexibility. This finding could lead to new materials and technologies for robotic applications and aircraft design.
Researchers at MIT have created an algorithm that enables drones to navigate complex obstacle courses at high speeds without crashing. The new approach combines simulations with real-world experiments, allowing drones to adapt to challenging aerodynamics and find the fastest routes.
Researchers at Tohoku University and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology have decoded salamanders' body-limb coordination mechanisms. Their findings provide insights into adaptive locomotion and could aid the development of agile robots.
A new robotic neck brace designed by Columbia Engineering can precisely detect changes in patient neck movements during routine clinical visits. The device can help identify patients who may have issues with neck movement, enabling targeted physical therapy interventions to improve recovery outcomes.
A single case report describes a 65-year-old man who developed thrombocytopenia with thrombosis following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination, highlighting the need for increased awareness and vigilance. The authors conclude that while rare events may occur, the benefits of vaccination should not be dissuaded.
The study used WomBot to explore 30 wombat burrows in Tasmania, finding average temperatures of 15 degrees Celsius and relative humidity of 85%. The authors suggest that environmental conditions within burrows may facilitate sarcoptic mange transmission by promoting mite survival.
A new robot-assisted broadband photo-monitoring platform has been developed using physically enriched carbon nanotube thin films to act as uncooled imager sheets. This device enables stereoscopic sensing of curved objects and detects minuscule defects, revolutionizing industrial inspection.
A study presented at the AATS Annual Meeting found that modifying the ERATS protocol significantly reduced in-hospital and post-discharge opioid consumption, particularly Schedule II opioids. The optimized protocol included replacing saline with 0.25% bupivacaine and switching tramadol to as-needed scheduling.
Two studies demonstrate the benefits of patient-forward approach to PCI, where systematically avoiding high-risk cases worsens hospital quality. Robotic-assisted technology shows safety and efficacy in treating complex lesions, reducing occupational hazards for physicians.
Researchers developed a neural control technology that enables amputees to regain control over their ankle movements, including standing on challenging surfaces and squatting. The study demonstrates improved postural control, stability, and overall quality of life for individuals with prosthetic ankles.